Heading to Ireland again...under a different name!

But it's still me...

...seven years into it, going to Dublin in May. To quote myself: "Once I like something, I like it."

So with a different company, a different cast of characters, a different job, a different life than when I started, I'm returning to the International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival again. As the Ambassador of Love for North America, I feel it is my duty.

So here I am in the lounge at T5 at JFK (flying Aer Lingus, same as last year), flying solo to Dublin, while the rest of our crew prepares to depart from Austin and Boston.

I'm not the lead producer this year...I'm following closely behind the aegis of CTEK Arts and its artistic director, Margaret Van Sant, and passing along all that I've learned from my previous four festival productions.

It's less stressful except in the way that I'm not in charge anymore. BE GRATEFUL, Kathleen!

Other people making decisions, going ahead with plans, calling the shots, getting others on board. I couldn't be a slightly OCD micromanager, could I? (Really? But I'm a Gemini!)

All I know is that it's going to be good to wait in the next line to board the plane, to wedge myself into the economy seat, and land, quite groggy at 5 in the morning their time, just past midnight mine, and do it all again.

My landing card is filled out, my boarding pass is already slightly crumpled. I dug out my burner phone (aka cheap plastic Tesco model) and fired it up to make sure it still worked. Got my converter, my camera, my notebook. I'm good to go.

See you over there!

Kathleen W.